The then and the now

Australian Cricket Academy V Which Bank’s Centre Of Excellence

What happens when you have a team of second change bowlers up against a team of highly committed and talented batsmen?

For the result see the Adelaide Oval Second Ashes test 2010(England won by an innings and 71 runs).

Just 4 years earlier Australia not only crushed England in Adelaide but won the series 5-0.

Has Aussie cricket slipped that far in so short a time?

Take McGrath, Warne and Gilchrist out of any side any they’re going to be weaker but we’ve slipped so far back it’s astounding and the frightening thing is we may have not yet hit rock bottom.There’s no-one, batter or bowler, knocking down the door demanding selection.

A big reason for Australia’s great run of success, beside natural talent, was the Australian Cricket Academy set up in Adelaide in 1987 that kept turning out “test ready’ cricketers.

In 2004 it was relocated to the Allan Border Field in Brisbane and renamed the Commonwealth Bank Centre for Excellence.

Is there a connection between Australia’s slide towards cricket oblivion and the move to Brisbane?